CP1992

Until you stop missing boozing? I'm over 3 months and I still fantisize about grabbing a bottle of wine and getting sloshed. Actually with the warm weather here I feel it's getting tougher and not easier. In the beginning I felt good doing the right thing but I think that novelty has warn off. Not sure why

Nonsensical

If I am busy doing something I enjoy and find fulfilling I don't think about booze.
If I am am sitting around bored I can't get it off my mind.

Once I learned how to fill the gaps it was all over but the shouting.

HumbleNumb

CP1992 I'm over 4 years and I still do that once in a while! I've learned to recognize it, and begin reminding myself of how great life is now... and how far I've come! We are taught not to let ourselves get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired = HALT
I have to add Bored to that list for myself though...
Replacing my old habits with new, useful habits has helped me... I never knew I could paint before... thanks to my recovery work, I've uncovered a few hidden talents!

hockeywino

I understand.....I had been sober for 4 mos when I went to Lake placid for a hokey tournament.....6 hr drive, parents and us coaches hanging out....sure I can have just one beer......yup that night one, next 7, then home with a bottle of wine, then two. did that dance on and off for 3 more mos, then decided its really not worth the battle....and it really isnt....I dont think it will ever wear off, in fact I know it wont....so dont fight it, just know it wont.....all I do now is remember how much sweating on a cot sucked, hpw much anxiety sucked, how much not seeing my family for 5 days sucked, how much getting my BP taken in the middle of the night sucked, and how much life is I was honest about it really sucked not only or me but also for everyone I was tryng to fool but wasnt. So will it go away, for me, probably never, but thats ok..... See now I understand the triggers, but I also understand my triggers....my trigger says, 18 holes of golf, boy that beer would be nice.....but my trigger mind is saying boy those 10 beers would be nice.....you said it yourself..getting sloshed would be easy....is this moment your in, or the feeling like absolute crap, or the anxiety in the morning or the feeling like you jsut threw away all your work worth it, as someone who has relapsed I can tell you its a resounding no!

Stoogy

Great post my friend, and just shows how fast it can escalate if you have just the one! The brain takes over again and back to square one..
All the best

grubby

Going thru the same thing myself buddy, youre not alone!

Only thing i can say is try to stay busy with something, i notice most of my cravings come during the "slow" part of my day. Idle time is the devil's workshop.

Something else that helps me snap out of it is reminding myself of the horror stories on the internet regarding kindling. It's some real scary stuff once you read it, some people even allegedly end up in the ER over it.

least

It took me a while to stop missing it too. Until I started practicing gratitude. When I started being grateful for my blessings I didn't think about drinking near as much. Why not be grateful for your blessings? Might take your mind off drinking.

Notmyrealname

Any time I find myself nostalgic about the "warm glow" I turn that clock ahead eight hours and think about the next morning being loaded with anxiety, doubt, regret, feelings of failure, nausea, headache, body aches, sweating, revulsion, and I'm probably out at least a cool twenty bucks in the deal, too.

If that doesn't work, I have my list of everything bad in my life that ever came from drinking. A quick scan down the list is pretty sobering, pun intended.

The list of Things I Have Been Able To Accomplish since quitting drinking is also a big help. I like where I'm going and I don't want to go back. Way too much to lose right now.

Michael66

Hi CP

I'm sure we're all different, but for me it was 6-9 months before I was genuinely really happy to be sober.

azbluesgal

well, if you use CBT you will learn to think past the warm fuzzy feeling to the end result - lying on the bathroom floor with your head in the toilet. Sound familiar? How about waking up in the drunk tank with a DUI and manslaughter felony awaiting your regaining consciousness? Does that help any?

Mountainmanbob

from what I have seen
for the one's who
are not truly grateful to be sober
before long end up drunk

I have been there too many times

MM

soberclover

I've been thinking a lot today about this question. I've been thinking about the answer; I still don't have a solid answer. But what I DO know is that for me when work is done and I have that transition time between leaving work and being home in my house, I can get really squirrely. But what happens when I get home is that I'm not as anxious about wanting to be out and about, drinking and hanging out with people. When I'm not home it all seems like a good idea. When I"m at home it all seems like a stupid idea. Part of the reason for that is that I've made my home an alcohol-free zone so I know it is safe for me. Great thread you started!!

Ruby2

I still sometimes miss the drinking. Never the after affects and I have five months. This is a tough time of year when we are transitioning between seasons. A lot of people are feeling this way right now so you aren't alone. Just keep moving. Forward.

Lance40

I think a realistic expectation is that you may never get over missing boozing. People have been drinking alcohol since time immemorial because it can be a pleasurable experience and people are wired to seek pleasure. It's not just alcoholics that desire to drink - it's more that we alcoholics are the ones who have a problem with it. We can't control our consumption which is why total abstinence seems to be the only lasting solution. While I have experienced that cravings have faded over time to mostly occasional background noise, for me the realistic outlook is that it won't be so much about the desire ever going away completely but rather how I manage the desire when it comes up.

Gottalife

The only way I know to make boozing less attractive is to find something more attractive. But that requires work and effort.

I found such a path in AA. The drink problem has been removed, and it hasn't occured to me in years that the drinking life might be anything other than an early death. I have no desire nor any need to drink today. Mostly, that is because my life
is infinitely better than it used to be.

In my old deluded state, I suppose drinking appeared to be fun.

But I have found much deeper and lasting rewards in sobriety.

Betterlife1

I'm relatively new like you (almost 3 months) and it's gotten slowly and subtly easier over time. My buddy has been sober a few years. He told me that for him, after 6 months he barely even thought about drinking anymore. He's a guy who's in bars 3 times a week playing music. I thought that was encouraging!! But I guess everyone is different.

sugarbear1

other than not drinking, what are you doing? I use a method so that I can live in the moment and find joy there/here/now.

how bad did it get in the end?

I think about how bad life was and can get over that "missing it" feeling....today, I don't really miss it anymore....